KERA Unlimited: Federal Appeals Court To Scrutinize Texas Voter ID Law

Opponents claim the Texas law violates the federal Voting Rights Act and is an attempt to cut into the electoral strength of the state's growing minority population — people less likely to have photo identification or the means to obtain a certificate for the election.

"It's evident that the Texas Voter ID law discriminates against minority voters in Texas, a fact already proven in court," U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, a plaintiff in the case, said in an emailed statement. "While it is never wise to predict the outcome of a court decision, I believe the evidence is overwhelming and I'm hopeful that this law will ultimately be struck down."

Gov. Rick Perry signed the law in 2011, kick-starting its convoluted journey through the federal court system.